action to send a message to bashar al assad to stop the killing. one of april saud's few remaining allies and so faro posed action to intervene the crisis that killed nearly 40,000 people. >> margaret, charlie rose here. has the report that david martin has, the story that david martin has reported that they're mixing the ingredients of chemical weapons influenced what the russians may be doing? >> reporter: well, the russian foreign minister said that the assad government assures them that the reports that syria is readying chemical weapons are rumors. adamant among today's meeting, charlie, a signal russia wants to be a part of what comes next. if clinton can get them to support at the security council, they could roll out tough sanctions cutting syria off from any remains support. >> where does the violence stand? >> reporter: well, charlie, we're told that rebels surround the city of damascus which has been an assad stronghold. secretary of state hillary clinton says that bash ar al assad assad-o could use chemical weaps to hold on to power and